Collaborative Professional Learning ~
Impact of Lesson Study on Professional
Development of Preschool Educators
Presenter: Peggy Foo
Content
• Origin and Role of Lesson Study in CPD
Framework for Early Childhood Educators
• Lesson Study @ Sparkletots (Braddell Heights)
• Impact on pedagogical knowledge and skills for
effective teaching & observing children’s
learning
• Issues in Implementation
• Alignment to SPARK
Background
“Regardless of the duration and quality of pre-school
education a teacher receives, it is not sufficient to
prepare them for the challenges they face throughout
their careers. As such quality continuing professional
development is necessary to ensure that teachers are
able to meet the demands of diverse children needs,
engage parents, as well as become active agents of
their own professional growth.”
Foreword in CPD Framework for Early Childhood Educators
Dr Chan Lin Ho
Lesson Study in CPD Framework
• One type of CPD activities (Peer-related activity)
• Collaborative Research
• Can be incorporated in the professional development
planning cycle outlined in the framework
Origin of Lesson Study
• Originated from Japan in the Meiji era (1880’s)
• Since Jim Stigler’s “The Teaching Gap” was published
in 1999, Lesson study has been made known to
world educators outside Japan.
Origin of Lesson Study
• Watch a video on Japanese Lesson Study
• How is Lesson Study different from conventional
professional development activities?
Task
Conventional Professional
Development
Lesson Study
Lesson Study
• Professional development activity that teachers
engage in to systematically examine their
practices.
• Lesson Study cycle
• Align with recent PD trends
 Job embedded
 Collaborative learning vs. individual
 Teacher-driven/ initiated
Lesson Study Cycle
Identify Research
Theme
Plan Lesson
Lesson Plan
Revision
Research Lesson
Post-Lesson
Discussion
Lesson Study @ Sparkletots (Braddell Heights)
Research project funded by the Early Childhood
Development Agency (ECDA) ~ Early Childhood
Research Fund (ECRF)
Research Question:
“What is the impact of Lesson Study on the
professional development of preschool educators?”
Profile of Pre-School Educators
Academic
Qualification
"O" Level "A" Level "O" Level "O" Level Degree
Professional
Qualification
Degree
Degree
DPT
DPT
Specialist
Dip in ECE
Years of
Experience
27
24
12
22
14
Identify Research
Theme
Plan Lesson
Lesson Plan
Revision
Research Lesson
Post-Lesson
Discussion
Identify Research Theme/
Professional Development Goal
•
•
•
•
•
•
Study centre’s vision and mission
Study curriculum goals
Identify Ideal students’ behaviours
Identify students’ behaviours
Identify the gap(s)
Identify professional learning goal/ research theme
to close the gap(s)
Identify Research
Theme
Lesson Planning
Lesson Plan
Revision
Research Lesson
Post-Lesson
Discussion
Lesson Planning
• Think of 4 Critical Questions:
 What do we want the children to learn?
 How do we know they have learnt it?
 What if they have not learnt it?
 What if they have already learnt it?
• Anticipate children’s responses to learning task(s)
Lesson Planning
Subject
Interdisciplinary Lesson (with focus on Mathematics)
Level
Kindergarten 1 (5 years old)
Topic/
Concepts
Whole Numbers
1) More than/ less than
Research
Theme
How can we engage children in learning of Mathematics?
Strategy
Use of manipulative (toy counters), hands-on activity to
engage children in the learning of Mathematics
Lesson Planning
Subject
Interdisciplinary Lesson (with focus on Mathematics)
Tuning in
activity
• Engage children in movements
E.g. Give me more than 3 claps (counting)
Body
• Predict the number of toy counters (guess)
(Learning Tasks) • Count the number of toy counters (actual)
• Compare actual number of counters in pair
• Which number is more/ less than the other?
Consolidation/
conclusion
Assessment
• Which number is more/ less than the other?
Identify Research
Theme
Plan Lesson
Lesson Plan
Revision
Research Lesson
Post-Lesson
Discussion
Research Lesson
• One of the team members (research teacher)
conducts the lesson
• Other team members becomes observers
• Can include non team members like teachers
from other centres and/or knowledgeable other
• Observers take detailed notes and collect data
related to the research theme
Watch a segment
Individual work: Guess and count
the actual number of toy counters
Predict the number of toy counters
in the bag
Identify Research
Theme
Plan Lesson
Lesson Plan
Revision
Research Lesson
Post-Lesson
Discussion
Post-Lesson Discussion
• Facilitator transforms data collected during the
research lesson into professional learning
• Reflect on observations
• Study children’s work samples
• Knowledgeable other provides theoretical
underpinnings and insights to enrich professional
learning
Identify Research
Theme
Plan Lesson
Lesson Plan
Revision
Research Lesson
Post-Lesson
Discussion
Lesson Plan Revision
• Reflect what went well and what did not
• Consider conjectures:
 What if thee same lesson is taught to a group
of struggling learners?
 What if the same lesson is taught to a group of
advanced learners?
 What if the same lesson is taught using learning
centres?
Data Collection
Stage of data
collection
Data Collection
Tools
Source of data
Research Lesson
5 Observers
Qualitative
(Observation
notes)
Post-lesson
Discussion
5 Observers
Minutes of postlesson discussion
Data Analysis of
video (research
lesson and postlesson discussion
Researchers
Video
Type of data
Qualitative
Impact on Professional Learning
•
•
•
•
Content (amount)
Use of language
Children’s thinking and learning
Differentiation (for advanced learners and
struggling learners)
Issues in Implementation
• Time constraint
• Manpower shortage
• Teachers’ mindset change
Alignment to SPARK
Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework (SPARK)
Criterion 1: Leadership
1.1 Strategic Leadership
Unpacking of the vision and
desirable outcomes into
Translating vision, mission and observable behaviours of the
core values into a strategic
pupils
plan
Identify a gap and explore
(translated into specific goals) ways to bridge the gap
(through enhancing staff
capacity)
SPARK – Criterion 1
Criterion 1: Leadership
1.2 Curriculum Leadership
Involvement of teachers
-Involve teachers in the planning, Planning a lesson collaboratively
teaching and learning practices
and conducting post lesson
discussion
-Centre leaders nurture a culture
of professional learning and
-Sharing of teaching ideas during
collaborations among teachers
lesson planning
-Sharing of diverse perspectives
and learning points (collation of
lesson plans and learning points
within and across centres)
SPARK – Criterion 3
Criterion 3: Staff Management
3.2 Professional Development
and Performance Appraisal
-Individual professional
development map
-Attend training according to
individual map
-Use a total professional map
to improve the competencies
of the staff
Total Learning Plan
-Training direction
-Key competencies (Key
Learning Programmes at
centre’s level)
-Individualised learning
programmes according to the
years of experience, areas of
improvement and interest
Reaching out to the Community
• Paper presentations at local/ overseas conferences
• Article in Digest
• Article in Straits Times
• Publications
• Open lessons
• Videos on Lesson Study journeys
• Partnership with primary schools to facilitate
smooth bridging from K2 to Primary 1
Thank You!
peggyfoo@hotmail.com